Two years in....no growth

[AFhusker]

Whiffs in recruiting are high. That arguement is full of flaws. Read a recruiting analysis a few years back and nearly 15% of incoming recruits never see the field or never even play at school they signed with. Don't quote me on that percent, but it was higher than most would think. It does make some sense.

 

Recruiting larger numbers is the key. Getting more key walk on's is also a key. Diamond in the rough.

Got this from a friend and thought it tied into the point that you were trying to bring up.

 

I realize it's easy to blame the jerk now that he's gone, but what I'm about to share is stunning evidence of the damage he did. Please bear with me ... I'll get to the meat and potatoes soon.

 

Before I do, I will say that yesterday, for the first time, my confidence in Riley and staff was shaken. Iowa's defense is so piss poor, it's incomprehensible that we allowed those big plays. The offense, I'm not nearly worried about. But defense wins championships, and I thought we were turning the corner under Banker this year - until yesterday's debacle.

 

But as I thought about this more, and wondered (again) why teams like Wisconsin and Iowa, who ALWAYS recruit worse than we do on paper, are beating us on the field. We SHOULD have better players then them, right?

 

But what I discovered was that the players you sign on the first Wednesday in February are not necessarily the players who ever suit up for you, and therein lies our problem.

 

Retention, retention, retention. Bo apparently recruited with little regard to a player's personality, character, academic ability or cultural fit to Lincoln. Or, he was such a prick, he chased away guys who, with a little love and support and communication, might have stayed.

 

Some basic research showed me that at least 20 players from the three pivotal classes of 2012, 13 and 14 are no longer with the team. That's a lot.

 

I started with the 2012 class, a class that, in general, should have finished up its eligibility this year. From that class, five players never contributed significantly or at all while at Nebraska. Worse, those five appear to be good players:

 

* Thomas Brown, kicked off, Riverside CC

* Avery Moss, kicked off for public indecency, 10 sacks at Youngstown State

* Jared Afalava, left, now at Weber State

* LeRoy Alexander, left, starting DB at Youngstown State

* Aaron Curry, left, starting DT for TCU, 9 sacks

 

But it gets worse. The 2013 class is what's absolutely KILLING us right now:

 

*Courtney Love, LB, Kentucky, had key fumble recovery today in win over Louisville

* Greg Hart, TE, Kentucky, second string and plays

* Kevin Gladney, WR, kicked off and now at Akron

* Johnny Stanton, QB, was starting at UNLV but hurt

* Ernest Suttles, DE, kicked off, three sacks and in DL rotation for Memphis

* Drake Martinez, DB, left, playing for Michigan State (special teams)

* Dimarya Mixon, DE, left, playing in DL rotation for Tennessee

* Tre'Vell Dixon, athlete, no idea where he ended up

 

The 2014 class was another disaster:

 

* Monte Harrison, WR, playing baseball

* Lorenzo Stewart, RB, playing JUCO somewhere

* Javaen Walton, ath, fought with Neb. veterans and now at JUCO in Louisiana

* Jariah Tolbert, WR, Arizona Western CC

* Glenn Irons, WR, Northwestern State CC

* Deandre Willis, DE, left team; whereabouts unknown

* AJ Bush, QB playing for the Rievers

 

The good news is, Mike Riley and his staff seem to be MUCH, MUCH better at retention, which will help build the roster up in terms of depth and allow more players to develop over time.

 

From the 2015 class, which was only partially his (he was hired in December, 2014), the only two defections so far are Jordan Stevenson (head case who we took a late shot on) and Adrienn Talan (Navarro CC).

 

And from what looks like a very solid 2016 class, only Derrion Grimm (starring as a WR at Delta CC) has left, and his case seems more flaky than a symptom of deeper problems.

 

Looking at this made me feel much, much better about Riley's first two years, and makes me feel like we MUST give him at least five total years, even if we take a couple of steps back next year or the year after. It's truly a rebuild.

 

Recruiting is very important. But retaining is just as, or more, important. You can't just have a revolving door of players every year, hoping a few stick. It's about class balance and player development over four- and five-year cycles.

 

So let's all rally behind this staff for the next two, three years, keep an eye on the roster and see if they aren't building/developing from the inside out. I think they are.

[Saunders]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

time to fire another 9-3 coach? seems to be the prevailing attitude with Nebraska fans.

Yeah, that's the thing. You fire a coach, any coach, and it sets your program back a couple of years. At some point your need to pick a guy and stick with him. I think Riley gathered a pretty good staff around him. And recruiting seems to be going well. So there's that. :

 

Yep, not to mention he is still using a team full of Bo's players, it is hard to turn a culture around in two years without a team full of players that he recruited. So all of this doom and gloom is ridiculous at this point. With that said the only thing that is alarming on the season to me is the no show today by the defense. Our LB's have been overaggressive and bad for stretches this season especially MRI, but today it was like we didn't put any on the field.

 

Oh good, the "culture" excuse again.

 

Except...to ANYONE who was looking, there was a culture issue. Just because people don't want to see or acknowledge it doesn't mean that it didn't exist. Players AND coaches (including a former volleyball coach) have made comments regarding the culture and buy-in issues. The information is out there if you care to accept it.

 

I'll take a former coaches word on the culture issue before I accept anyone's opinion that has zero contact with the program.

 

Huh, funny. I was taking the word of Riley himself when he said it wasn't an issue. How long can we use it as an excuse?

 

Last year Riley did say it wasn't an issue, but this year both him and players, MRI comes to mind, have come out and said yes it was an issue. I guess you chose to ignore those statements since they don't fit your agenda.

 

The only agenda I have is to see my team be successful. But by all means, explain with actual facts how "culture" is why we lost to Iowa and OSU 102-13.

 

 

The thing you have to remember is that "culture" comes and goes. It's "culture" when you're losing to a lot of bad teams and starting out 3-6. But then it's the coaches doing a great job when you win 10 out of 11 games including beating Michigan State and UCLA. But then the "culture" shows back up again when you lose 3 of your last 5 and get blown out twice.

 

I know it can be hard to keep up but you have to try.

 

[cornstar]

 

 

 

Bad coaching disguises good talent.

Far more than bad talent disguises good coaching.

Wake up.

 

I'd say good coaching disguised a 7-8 win team and got us 9 wins. Heck maybe 10 if they can get the right bowl matchup. Not to mention they are running an offense they have to run not one they want to run.

 

You never bothered to wonder why your lord and savior Bo Pelini couldn't do better than 9-4/10-4 in his 7 seasons? Lack of talent bc he didn't recruit enough of it. He put a ceiling on the program that can only be broken through with recruiting and development.

 

Whether Riley does that remains to be seen but I can hardly hold a 9 or 10 win season against him in year 2.

We won at least 9 every year under Bo. When MR was hired it was stated that there would be no regression to rebuild. Last year was worse than Callahan, and this year we had the easiest schedule in the history of college football, and did worse than any of Bo's seasons.

This statement is so incorrect that it's laughable. Road trips to Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa is not an easy schedule.

I agree. Sort of. The 2015 schedule was easier, but this year was no murderers row. Iowa and Wisconsin were winnable.

 

Just wait for the next few years. People will be looking back fondly on 9 and 10 win seasons.

[np_husker]

Mike Riley should not have been hired in the first place. We should have gone for a big name or, not to bring up a sore subject around here, Scott Frost. But at this point we can't fire Riley.

 

We are stuck.

[Nebfanatic]

Mike Riley should not have been hired in the first place. We should have gone for a big name or, not to bring up a sore subject around here, Scott Frost. But at this point we can't fire Riley.

 

We are stuck.

besides Scott Frost who was an unproven commodity at the time (still is at this point) who else could we have landed, if we were willing to give any amount to our top candidate?

[Hunter94]

this game was a loss before the kick off......we have no offensive line left and TA was hobbled severely, no way were we going to win against a stout defense....stop blaming Riley.

[Saunders]

this game was a loss before the kick off......we have no offensive line left and TA was hobbled severely, no way were we going to win against a stout defense....stop blaming Riley.

Lol, what.

 

That was the healthiest the OL had been since fall camp!

[Hayseed]

 

this game was a loss before the kick off......we have no offensive line left and TA was hobbled severely, no way were we going to win against a stout defense....stop blaming Riley.

Lol, what.

 

That was the healthiest the OL had been since fall camp!

 

And we have a hobbled QB with no backups in sight.......who could've seen that coming??

[Mavric]

Last two years:

 

When throwing <35 passes: 13-2

When throwing 35+ passes: 2-8

[HuskerNation1]

Last two years:

 

When throwing <35 passes: 13-2

When throwing 35+ passes: 2-8

 

That's not surprising given Armstrong was the 2nd least accurate passer in all of college football. Seriously, his accuracy rating was 107th out of 108 QBs. I think that is one of the most telling stats about this entire season, and we were told going into this season that his accuracy was going to be much higher. I fully love Tommy's heart and desire, but I wonder how this team would have done had their been a good bench of backups waiting in the wings. Fortunately starting next year we should have 3 great passers on the roster with O'brien, Lee, and Gebbia.

[Hunter94]

 

Last two years:

 

When throwing <35 passes: 13-2

When throwing 35+ passes: 2-8

 

That's not surprising given Armstrong was the 2nd least accurate passer in all of college football. Seriously, his accuracy rating was 107th out of 108 QBs. I think that is one of the most telling stats about this entire season, and we were told going into this season that his accuracy was going to be much higher. I fully love Tommy's heart and desire, but I wonder how this team would have done had their been a good bench of backups waiting in the wings. Fortunately starting next year we should have 3 great passers on the roster with O'brien, Lee, and Gebbia.

 

and not a one has played a down in college ball.......starting over again.

[Hunter94]

we are still a Tier 2 team in the BIG......we lack athletes and coaching. we are better, but against competition we don't hold up.

[Nebfanatic]

 

 

 

 

Last two years:

 

When throwing <35 passes: 13-2

When throwing 35+ passes: 2-8

That's not surprising given Armstrong was the 2nd least accurate passer in all of college football. Seriously, his accuracy rating was 107th out of 108 QBs. I think that is one of the most telling stats about this entire season, and we were told going into this season that his accuracy was going to be much higher. I fully love Tommy's heart and desire, but I wonder how this team would have done had their been a good bench of backups waiting in the wings. Fortunately starting next year we should have 3 great passers on the roster with O'brien, Lee, and Gebbia.

and not a one has played a down in college ball.......starting over again.

??? Tanner Lee has plenty of college ball experience

[commando]

 

 

 

Last two years:

 

When throwing <35 passes: 13-2

When throwing 35+ passes: 2-8

That's not surprising given Armstrong was the 2nd least accurate passer in all of college football. Seriously, his accuracy rating was 107th out of 108 QBs. I think that is one of the most telling stats about this entire season, and we were told going into this season that his accuracy was going to be much higher. I fully love Tommy's heart and desire, but I wonder how this team would have done had their been a good bench of backups waiting in the wings. Fortunately starting next year we should have 3 great passers on the roster with O'brien, Lee, and Gebbia.

and not a one has played a down in college ball.......starting over again.

??? Tanner Lee has plenty of college ball experience

 

forget it....he's on a roll

[commando]

i wonder if anyone noticed that we looked like a much worse team after Tommy got knocked out at Ohio state? not saying we looked like a playoff team before that....but after his injury things turned much worse.